The Irish standard., 1887-07-02
SATURDAY, JULY 2, 1887.
NOTABLE ANNIVERSARIES.


NOTABLE ANNIVERSARIES.
Sunday, July 3-Henry Grattan, born
at Dublin, 1746. MIR. Grattan's
father was an eminent barrister. and
acted for many years as record
er of the Irish capital, which he
also represented for a time in lhe
Parliament of Ireland. In the year
1853, young Grattan entered Trinity
College, Dublin, where he was dis
tinguished for the brilliancy of his
Imagination and the impetuosity of
his feelings. Having graduated in
1857. with an honorable reputation,
he repaired to London, and became a
memper of the Middle Temple. ais
mind, however, was at first too ex-
clusively occupied with literary pur-
suits to- allow of his devoting much
time to the study of law. Politics
next engaged his attention, The
eloquence of Lord Chatham drew
him as an eager listener to the de-
bates in the British House of Com
mons, and acted with such a fascina-
ton upon his mind as seemed COM
pletely to form his destiny. Every
thing was forgotten in the one great
object of cultivating his powers as
sneaker. To emulate and express,
though in the peculiar forms of his
own genius, the lofty conceptions of
the great English orator, was from
this time the object of his continual
study and most fervent aspirations.
In 1772 he returned to Ireland, where
he was admitted to the bar, and in
IT'S he became member Of the Irish
Parliament. He, Of course, Joined
the ranks of the Opposition, and
united at once with Mr.. Flood and
the leading patriots of the day in their
endeavors to secure the grant of free
trade for Ireland. The peculiar cir
cumstances of the country favored
their effort. The corps Of Irish Vol
unteers had sprung into existence
upon the alarm of invasion from
France, and was marshalled through
out the country, to the number of
nearly fifty thousand. Mr.. Grattan,
in 1779. made a motion, which was
afterward exchanged into a direct
resolution, that "nothing but free
trade could save the country from
ruin.'' It was passed with enthusiasm
by the great body of the house. But
Mr.. Grattan had already fixed his eye
on a higher object-the complete in
dependence of the Irish Parliament.
How far he succeeded our readers are
aware. Of the long list of Irish pa
triots, none deserve a more enduring
monument in the minds Of their
countrymen than Henry Grattan. AS
an expression of gratitude for the
services he had rendered his country,
the Irish Parliament voted him a sum
of 100000. His character and integ-
rity were alike irreproachable. He
died May IA, 1920, at the age of "A.
1onday, July 4-Declaration of Ameri-
can independence. Birthday of the
Republic, 1776. Erie Canal COM
menced, 1917.
tuesday,, July 5-Richard Dalton
Williams (s'Shamr0ck" of the Dublin
Nationl died in Baton Rouge. La,
1862.
7ednesday, July 6-Battle of James
River, Va, 1881. Samuel Lover died,
1858.
thursday, July 7-Richard Brinsley
Sheridan died, 1915. Mr.. Sheridan
was born at Dublin, in September,
1751. His father, Thomas Sheridan,
author of the first attempt at a pro-
nouncing dictionary of the English
language, was a distinguished teacher
of elocution, and during most of his
lite was connected with the stage.
This fact very naturally turned the
attention of young Sheridan, even
from his boyhood, to theatrical COM
position and, being driven to strenu-
GUS exertion in consequence Of an
early marriage, he became dramatic
writer at the age Of twenty four. His
first production was "The Rivals, :"
which, by the lveliness of it's plot
and the exquisite humor Of its dia-
logue, placed him at once in the front